


Lakewood Four

by Talking_FishboneHHHADOCK



Category: Scream (TV)
Genre: Amputation, Amputee Original Chatacter, Depression, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, F/F, F/M, Lakewood Slasher, Light Angst, Minor Original Character(s), Murder, Original Character Death(s), Original Slash, Physical Disability, Plot Twists
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-02-19 23:58:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13134891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talking_FishboneHHHADOCK/pseuds/Talking_FishboneHHHADOCK





	1. The tale of The Axe Man of Woodside.

 

When Justice Jayne first arrived at the large university campus she was absolutely strung out, the long flight from London to California will do that to you. Tired forest green eyes swept across the campus lazily. She stepped forwards pulling out her father's retro polaroid camera from her shoulder bag, a large smile lit up her face as she brought the camera up to her face and was about to take a picture when a voice called out. "Whoa, dude boundaries."  

She was now stood face to face with an annoyed dark haired girl, she saw the girls group of friends behind her two boys' and two girls' "I didn't see you there." JJ admitted sheepishly, licking her lips backing up and loosing her footing, toppling backwards her head collided with the hard pavement with a sickening thud. When she didn't move Audrey turned to her friends wide eyed before rushing to the unconscious girls side touching the back off her head to feel for any blood, JJ groaned lowly "I thought you were about boundaries," She rasped and laughed, Her warm green eyes finding the dark haired girls cool blue ones.

"Such an ass," The dark haired girl laughed slightly shaking her head, she stood to leave "Hey, what's your name?" JJ called out after the girl her own chocolate brown hair falling front of her face, "Audrey," she girl called over shoulder and Justice smiled "See you around Justice J."

JJ ran a hand through her hair a shocked look on her face she gathered her belongings quickly and cleared out of there fast, did they already know who she was here? fear seized her heart would she ever get away from her past. The small group of friends watched the girl limp away to the main building to sign in officially at the school. "That was strange," Brooke laughed nervously.

Away from everyone else JJ sat alone waiting to be seen by her new principle, she rubbed her face _'Stupid, so stupid to react like that._ ' she beat herself up mentally. she ran her hands though her shoulder length brown hair sighing tiredly. This was a fresh start away from England away from the pain, to be safe. Her hands shook and she chewed on her lower lip.

\----

_She ran down the shadow covered street, the pounding of the feet followed stalked her to this very spot in the middle of a deserted farm road. The night was like ink soaking away that last dregs of colour that was once left of the day, leaving only terror in it wake. She was in the car with her friends when the old rusting vehicle stuttered to a stop in a middle of a road near the wooded area Justice Jayne just ran through._

_The smoke billowed from under the hood of the car, as her friend Sam stepped out of the car a tall hooded person approached a flash of something silver was in the attackers hands, one swing to the gut and Sam was down. For Justice it hadn't quite clicked the danger she and her other friend were in Sam was down and now the dark hooded assailant now stood with a bloodied axe in his hand. She grabbed on to her girlfriends hand "R-run now! RUN!" Justice screamed opening the car door and running her hand tightly clasped in Harper's hand._

_"Harper come on please!" The two girls ran around the manic with the swinging axe, it just slashed into Harpers leg but the rebound of the movement into Justice's leg._

_\----_

 "Hathaway, Justice Jayne." A woman dressed in a pain brown dress stepped out of the Principle's office. And JJ's head snapped up to look at the lady "That's me." Justice croaked out unsteadily getting to her feet. even the thousands of miles she put between her and England she felt haunted, a stain on her soul from the day that changed her life.

In the office she nervously twined her fingers together as Principle Nicholas Clare, spoke to her about the abroad program she had taken place in. "Ancient History and Film Studies?" Principle Clare asked and JJ nodded "Also English Lit." She spoke softly, the teacher behind the desk nodded and started typing away on his computer. "It says here you wish to after this year already completely transfer over for the rest of your education?" he asked perplexed.

"Yes sir," she said softly. In retrospect maybe running away from home to her new college was a cowards way out of not having to deal with her friends walking on eggshells around her, but now she was here her new home for the next couple of years the air felt clearer and she could just be her and not the survivor of The Woodside Axing. She was Justice Jayne Hathaway, the new girl from a different country.

That was defiantly marginally better.

\----

_Harper cried out as the axe man's blade connected with her shoulder blood was gushing fast. Looking around trying  to think of something fast JJ grabbed a large piece of chopped wood and swung it around into the man's stomach as he raised his axe preparing to swing again. The brunette grabbed her red headed partner and ran practically dragging the crying girl with her "Please, Harper baby be quiet we will make it out of this."_

_JJ pressed her own jacket to her girlfriends bleeding shoulder, they both ran completely shaken at the turn of events of the night. Both girls completely unaware that this would be the last attack of the night by the Woodside Axe-Man. There was a sudden suspenseful eerie quiet that fell around the two when they heard blood curdling screams come from the direction they had left Sam, followed squelching thuds as the axe hit him again and again._

_"Oh god," JJ whimpered a hand over Harper's mouth to stop her loud sobs from being heard by the deranged man stalking them. Then the dark world fell silent again, JJ pulled her girlfriend along walking as quietly backwards as she could not to attract any attention to them, when a gleeful voice bounced around them "Oh Justice, come out and play." A voice of a man sounded the crunch of twigs gave him away to them, holding a finger to her lips to tell Harper to stay quiet._

_\----_

**Noah's POV**

" _HARPER! NO! PLEASE OH GOD NO HARPER!"_ The voice screamed thrashing from the stretcher, her face ashen but there was no doubt that was the girl Audrey had met earlier. The video was insensitive the News anchors milled around the girl thrashing on the stretcher looking at a white sheet her face terror-stricken. The hysterical cries continued until Noah had to pause the video and he read the article below.

"I remember reading about this," He admitted, in a trembling voice "It was the winter before Piper came to Lakewood, The Axe man of Woodside, England. Justice Jayne Hathaway the only survivor of the attack, lost her leg apprehending the attacker." He said looking up at Gustavo. "We have to talk to her about the attack!" Gustavo said gathering his iPad to start sketching for a new comic, "No absolutely not, you will both leave her alone!" Emma said pointedly glaring at both the boys.

"Come on, Brooke?" Gustavo asked turning to his blonde girlfriend, and she shook her head and pursed her lips at him "No, Emma is right we wouldn't like it, if two strangers harassed us about our past, let alone dug up the ugly truth absolutely not." Brooke said crossing her arms standing next to Emma.

Noah bowed his head "Audrey would agree with them, and so do I." he sighed.

\----

 It was a few days later of settling in when JJ saw Audrey again, She was sat in the library when someone sat opposite her. JJ didn't have to glance up to know who it was a smile tugged at her lips "It's good to see you." She met the light blue eyes that's been haunting her dreams since she arrived here.

When she looked across the desk and when her eyes met the eyes of the dark haired woman, a feeling like she had never felt before kind off took control over her chest, Something she felt so deeply as if her soul was being tugged at, the emotion so deep it was weaving itself in Justice's DNA. She shook her head and looked down this was confusing. She hadn't ever felt that deeply before when she was with Harper and with that knowledge she felt guilty her girlfriend had been brutally murdered just two years ago and here she was gaining theses new feelings for someone she briefly met two days ago.

Swallowing thickly she started gathering her stuff "I'm sorry Audrey, I've got to go." Justice stuttered out unable to look at the alluring new girl she had met. She ran out off the library leaving behind a very confused Audrey Jensen.

She rounded to the back of the library and collapsed in a heap her breathing fast and shallow, she leaned her head back against the red brick wall as a panic attack washed over her. The world was spinning and dark she gathered her knees to her chest her face hidden between her arms and knees.

 _The images that followed the attack where like a cold knife being twisted in her stomach,_ _Sam as they finally put a white sheet over his hacked up body his brown eyes once beautiful with specks of gold were now a milky white and unseeing._

A sob wracked in her chest and her shoulders shook.

 _Being carried past on a stretcher from the woods, seeing as they taped off the area and numbered the crime scene._   _The blood splattered up the side of the old rusted car, a car she was in not three hours before talking jovially to now the two deceased victims._

The tears flowed like two streams of hot springs, she felt someone walk closer and kneel in front of her speaking in low soothing words, the words that they were speaking were far away and sounded disoriented but there tone was quiet soothing she knew someone was to the side of her but the new presence they moved over for brought a wave of calm with them.

 _Blood. So much blood, she saw there her girlfriend's head separated from her body and her right arm looked as it was torn from her torso. **Harper was**_ **gone.**

Justice sucked in a large lungful of air and opened her eyes as if she was finally coming up for air after drowning in her sorrows. Suddenly she was aware of who the presence was Emma and Audrey. "Justice?" Audrey asked cautiously her hands curled on the girls knees "Audrey." she whispered back in a daze.

 


	2. Good as Gone.

_She turned to face the man who caused terror on her family, who took out the entire Hathaway line except for Justice. He stood behind the bars of the cell his brown eyes were dark almost black, wide and just screamed insane "Hello, Sister." the blonde man spoke getting as close to the bars as possible._

_"You're not my brother. You are a murderer," Justice spat a look of disgust on her face. "I really don't see how those things cancel each other out." He crossed his arms as best as he could a smug smirk on his face. "I am all you have left in this world." he sneered._

_That was the day Justice J. Hathaway made her statement to have the man put away, she added that she believed he should be put away a life sentence for every life he took._

_\----_

Justice jolted awake, blinking rapidly and rubbed her face. Looking around she realised she was on the floor of a gaming store, Noah and Emma where on the sofa leaning into each other and she smiled slightly turning away from the sleeping couple. She leaned back against one of the game chairs and looked up at Audrey smiling down at her, "Sleep well?" Audrey teased her date. "You kick out your legs in your sleep, like a puppy." Audrey smirked and JJ groaned hiding her face in her hands.

Justice felt a tiny shove and she sprawled at Audrey's feet dramatically, "Now that you got me, what are you gonna do?" The brunette smiled up at the raven haired girl. She felt her dates weight settle on her hips, just then Justice's phone pinged "Hold that thought."

It showed that the boy she was working on a film project with for class had text her, it read; **Thomas Viktor: Ho Ho Howdoihangmyself.**

JJ jolted up and moved Audrey off her lap calling her friend as soon as she was on her feet, the phone dial rang "Thomas, what the hell." She moved to the corner of the room whispering lowly into the microphone. She let out a shaky breath "Not funny Tommy, never say that again." She muttered rubbing her face "I can come over, are you okay?"She shook her head sinking to her knees, "You god damn idiot, Viktor." she muttered.

Warm hands cupped her face, cool blue eyes met Justice's own deep forest green one's. Audrey's silky smooth lips met her chapped ones the two girls lips moving together in a gentle harmony. The shorter girl dropped into her lap and Justice's fingers glided through her silky hair.

There were two coughs from somewhere in the room, when the two girls broke away from each other, Justice was faced with her date's best friend’s smirking at them looking over the back of the sofa from there spot. That was the first time she heard Audrey giggle and hide her face against Justice's neck and the smile took over JJ's face as she turned to look at the girl in her arms, instinctively she held her closer.

\----

_JJ sat in her room with one of her closest friends Amelia, a book propped in Justices hand and her severely wrapped up stump stretched out in front of her on the bed. "I mean it has only been six months JJ, it will get bette-"_

_"I swear to god Emmy, if you say that one more time!" Justice Jayne snapped at her friend. Frustrated at the lack off understanding her friend was showing "My parents were murdered! Your own half brother was murdered and you don't seem to care!" Justice slammed her book down next to her. "Do you not understand? This insane bastard claimed to be my long lost brother and killed my whole family so I can’t ask! He killed my girlfriend, Emmy! He killed Harper!"_

_The tears were hot and free flowing down her pale cheeks. "Your not the only one who lost someone! God damn it Justice we are all trying to process this." Her friends face contorted in a sudden blind fury. "But you aren't dealing with this Amelia." Justice asked softly rubbing away the wetness from her face._

_"I'm sorry," Amelia whispered and just like that she was gone._

_\----_

It had been a few weeks of dating and Justice was on the phone with Audrey, giggling. "Stop it, I really have to do my work." a large smile spread across the British girl's face peering down at the screen "she will miss you!" Noah called in a sing-song voice from somewhere in the same room as Audrey, making both girls blush and look away. There was an obvious sound of a pillow hitting someone in the background. "Wow Audrey, no need to be so Bi-Furious." JJ said grinning at the screen watching a mock shocked look on her face as she laughed tilting her head back "You did not just say that."

She heard Noah snorting and then a loud reverberating laugh, a ghost of a smile formed on JJ's lips her fingers brushing lightly at the cup of her transtibial prosthesis. "Bi-Furious," Justice whispered her eyes crinkling and giggled behind her hand. "Seriously Audrey, I need to go." Justice sighed reluctantly.

"Fine, I love you." There was a pregnant pause, "Aud-" Justice started saying when the blue eyed girl quickly hung up on her.

JJ ran both her hands though her hair, "Audrey," she whispered distraughtly that her lover wouldn't let her answer. She grabbed her phone from the dock it was currently residing on desperately trying to reach out to the girl, her stomach dropped further each time she heard Audrey's voice mail. "Please." she whispered letting her phone rest on the top of the desk rubbing her face.  

When her phone rang, her hand shot out and breathlessly answer _"_ _Audrey, thank god."_ a low chuckle from the other side stopped JJ in her tracks' **"You look awfully sad, I hate to see you like that."** She felt her breathing fall unsteady, **"And all for that girl, I wonder just how sad she would be to lose you."** The line dropped and Justice spun in circles in the middle of the room, she stopped as a door creaked open, she spun on the spot as she saw a knife go up in the air and slash down in to her shoulder then a sharp blow to the head.

 


	3. Not Playing that Game

* * *

Audrey's POV

Audrey paced the room tapping her phone against her palm, "It's been two days and nothing absolutely nothing." She said to Noah and Emma who sat with their arms wrapped around each other sharing a look. "Audrey, give it some time?" Noah suggested.

"You told her you loved her and then hung up on her." Emma pointed out making the raven haired girl groan, "Noah, seriously do you tell her everything." Dropping her phone on the sofa running her hands though her short hair. "I should go to her-" Audrey started making her door when her phone lit up from an unknown number. " _JJ? Is this you?"_ A deep laughter run though the phone, and Audrey quickly tapped the speaker **"She screamed for you, and my knife was the only one to answer the call."** and the call dropped and Audrey's hands shook as her eyes met Emma's and Noah's who where on their feet at the sound of the voice.

\----

When JJ came around she was being raised in the air by her legs, her arms swaying free above her head both wrists bound. She struggled on the chains thrashing about, the cold chains were seeping into her right ankle but the pain in her left leg from the unprecedented pressure placed on her stump. It was cold where ever she was, her own breath could be seen but the room was dark, except for a little red light just five feet in front of her face.

The pain was almost unbearable in her leg, and she was losing herself to it. Her breathing was ragged, that's when she finally came round to a sound of someone talking. " _JJ? Is this you?"_ Audrey called out and JJ thrashed more in her chains " **She screamed for you, and my knife was the only one to answer the call."** The realisation of what was going to happen hit Justice hard. The feeling of dread was like being doused in ice cold water.  

She closed her eyes, fear making her tense up. "Oh, sweet Justice. Locked all alone." The killer circled her and she felt the shivers up her spine. The tip of the sharp blade lightly glided over her now exposed stomach. "Go to hell." JJ spat jerking away and hissing as the sharpness slicing a shallow cut across her stomach.

\----

Brooke's POV

She was curled in the warm embrace of her boyfriends arm's, when her phone pinged and a video of a dark warehouse started playing. The rattling of chain's tore the two apart when the TV turned on and there was JJ hanging upside down. She slapped Stavo's arm sitting forwards on her seat. The brunette was struggling against the chains, her blood ran cold.

Brooke saw the blood seeping though the fabric for Justice's shirt, a clearly broken nose and split lip. She saw that the girl's body was shaking going into shock, her face was covered in her own blood and grime. " **Tell them what will happen to you!"** A deep booming voice demanded. Her jaw tightened and there was a clear defiance in her green eyes' standing out on her stained face, She looked at the camera with lips shaking as she started to speaking softly " _Audrey, I'm so sorry. I love you. Please, Please don't do anything this sick bastard wants, go to the police let them know what is happening."_ She swallowed hard and got the rest of what she had to say out fast, " _Please, don't be a noble git and try and rescue me, He is going to kill me and that's okay, just stay safe. I love you, Audrey Jensen."_ She took a hard blow to the face, and hung limp in her chain's when someone got in front of the camera wearing a Brandon James mask.

The feed cut out just then. The couple jumped to there feet, Brooke brought the phone to her ear as it rang, "He has Justice! Audrey the video!" she choked up for her friend.

\----

  _It was so dark, but she could hear them the voice's of her past.  A patch of light came over her and she saw her parents, her father's kind smile and her mother's warm brown eyes. She remembered this, it felt as if watching as an outsider, this was Christmas when they had the biggest argument she had ever heard from them. The words were garbled as if she was hearing this all from under water. "You made that choice to give that baby up, Edythe!" Her father snapped._

_Justice breathed heavily she had never remembered this side of her father. She circled her arguing parents, her mother cried "We were so young," She argued back. JJ pressed her hands to her ears and when she opened her eyes she was face to face with him Justin. "I'm all that you have left in this world." he taunted and she shook her head, she turned on her heels and ran, it got so dark again and this time it wasn't an empty darkness the moon shone high above her and the trees surrounded her in a maze._

_"Oh Justice, come out and play." a gleeful voice called out._

_\----_

_The two moved cautiously towards the road to try and get a better signal to call for help. She held on to Harper's wrist keeping a look out around them, she weaponised a small branch when Harper saw the street lights she ran towards the road and JJ screamed as the axe swung around taking her head "HARPER!" her bottom lip trembled her eyes became blurry from the salty tears, "You bastard!" she screamed holding the branch high and started swinging wildly at the man with the axe._

_She managed to land a few hits to the mad assailant, she tripped back as he brought the axe high above his head the hood dropped away from his face. Blood was splattered up his face there was a wild gleam in his eyes and a twisted smile as he brought the axe down into her left leg, a scream tore though her throat. It was all she could hear when she opened her eyes she saw the flashing blue lights of the emergency services. Dizzy, she felt so dizzy._

_\----_

_She walked forward, her once dull green eyes bright with excitement to know she was safe away from the horrors of England. A large smile lit up her face as she pulled out the polaroid camera that once belonged to her father and went to take a photo of her new school. A now familiar voice call out she saw Audrey stalk towards her "Whoa, dude boundaries." She stood face to face with Audrey, she felt happiness from the memory rush over her looking into those beautiful blue eyes once more._

_Even if she did look annoyed at least she got to see her face once more, before the killer made sure she perished. It felt as if she had all the time in the world to look around to see Audrey's friend's also once more standing watching as she randomly yelled at Justice for brandishing a camera in there general direction. "I didn't see you there." She felt the words slipped her lips playing her part of the memory , She licked her lips backing up and loosing her footing and topple backwards her head collided with the pavement._

When she opened her eyes she was back in the warehouse, her green eyes trained on the red light of the camera that was still there and that's when she saw it the axe and she started tugging at her chains "NO, NO GET AWAY FROM ME!" she yelled she heard the click of footsteps _"_ Justin no please, get away from me!" She thrashed wildly like a fish on a fishing line "GET AWAY FROM ME!" her voice echoed around the empty room.

Her face froze in a mask of horror as the blade of the axe, sunk into the camera and the red light died. This was it.

\----

Noah’s POV -

”What no, No! The signal just dropped.” He slammed his hand into the desk before tapping furiously at the keys of computer.

He looked up at his best friends, all surrounding him in this room watching him hack his way back to the killers signal. Audrey sat of to the side of the room her head down looking at her computer, her eyes were red and when she looked at you there was a look of a broken woman.

She was watching video’s from the memory cards she had taken from JJ’s room, when himself, Emma and Audrey arrived at Justice’s dorm room it was completely trashed most things were broken or thrown about there was blood and a clear sign of a struggle but it had partly looked staged. "Mum? Mum, dad come on, wake up!" Justice's voice floated through the room grabbing everyone's attention. She sounded happy and a lot younger. "It's CHRISTMAS!" she cheered at her parents, "We're sleeping." The deep voice of a man they didn't know spoke to the young Justice. "You can sleep when you’re dead." Justice teased her father.

She yelled and giggled jumping away from someone "You can't catch me!" She taunted the invisible person that only she saw, Everyone heard the sounds of feet hitting the floor as she ran "Come find me!" There was a short shriek and then a fit of laughter. "I got you my little love." A woman spoke softly before the sounds of dramatic smooching started "Mummy stop!" Justice laughed.

Audrey watched the video's play, a small smile on her face she laughed but then sobbed "Oh god, Justice." She whispered unable to look at the laptop anymore, Brooke sat next to her wrapping both arms around the raven haired girl letting her rest her head on the blonde's shoulder in this moment of weakness.

The screens in the room reactivated on their own, and justice's beaten bruised face came into view before she started thrashing wildly "NO, NO GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed and it was horrifying "Justin no please, get away from me!" She cried out this time still thrashing trying to get away from someone who was obviously just behind the camera, "GET AWAY FROM ME!" She yelled and the footage cut frozen on the image of her wide eyes, her blood and grime streaked face frozen in horror but the noise from where she was being held still played there was a sudden noise of something being stabbed into her and her coughing, spluttering for breath, " **Oh how your brother wishes he were here to see this Justice,** " The voice taunted her and with that the sound of a heavy thud her body hit the floor.

"I got an address!" Noah said quickly writing it down on a scrap of paper, "We go right now." Audrey said climbing to her feet.


	4. The Truth at Last

 The sound of the large door's to the abandoned warehouse was earth shatteringly loud, she felt cold. Lying in a pool of her own collected blood. Trying to stay conscious at this point was so very hard. But Justice knew logically she had stay awake, to fall asleep now could have disastrous consequences. Her eyes slowly fell shut she remembered when she hit the floor, the man in the mask ran. "In here!" someone yelled it sounded far away, as if from a different part of the warehouse as if it was still outside.

She felt hands so many hands touching her prodding her. But JJ felt so weak so tired "Get the medics now!" someone yelled rolling her to her back, a light shined into her eyes. When they moved her in such a harsh and almost careless manner she gasped jolting up crying out. She felt the horrible taste of copper in her mouth She looked around the room and her heart sank she couldn't see Audrey. She laid back down and the paramedics cut her shirt open trying to stop the multiple wounds from bleeding out completely.

She coughed and spluttered blood again, feeling the thick, red substance coat her mouth. She turned her head tiredly to the left when she saw them all five of them were okay, and she smiled slightly before her eyes fell shut and her limp against the gurney. She was in safe hands. Blood coated her bottom lip and dribbled down her chin.

Audrey had both Emma and Brooke holding her from both sides, she breathed out slowly. 

\----

_"Audrey, please let me see her." She asked the paramedics._

_The medics spoke over her and one shook their head at the request, they packed her into the ambulance she felt straps binding her wrists and she started to panic tugging as hard as she could "No please, I want to see Audrey. No," she told them. That was when one of the paramedics slipped off the mask covering his lower face a sick twisted grin took over, his eyes shone and looked like black beetles._

_His hand raised into the air, a large butchers knife was clenched in Justin's fist. The final blow was brought down into her chest. "Audrey..." She said weakly._

\----

Audrey's POV

She wasn't allowed in the room with Justice, no matter how much she argued that she had no family left. There were rigid rules until the patient was awake. She hardly sat down pacing the waiting room "How long is it going to take them?!" She snapped irritably, When Emma stood in front of her "Audrey, calm down it will be okay." the blonde girl whispered to her friend rubbing her arm in which Audrey guessed was meant to be comforting.

_"But who is Justin?" Stavo asked as they bounced along in the car, rushing to the location as Noah had his phone in hand typing away furiously "And why would she react like that? Did she know who the Axe Man of Woodside was?" Noah asked excitedly, Audrey turned in her seat, next to Brooke driving and sent a hard glare at the two boys "The Axe man or what now?" She asked coldly making Noah, freeze up as he met his best friend's icy glare "Of Woodside?" he said trying to smile innocently._

_"Noah what did you do?" Audrey's voice was seething with fury. He now held his hands up in a defence his phone still in one "I may have, looked up Justice's past?" He said shrinking in his seat. "YOU DID WHAT?!" She shouted in a furious voice enough to make Brooke flinch, "You, you deliberately dug up this girl's past? And for what? What was so important about it?" Audrey still had an 'if looks could kill' look._

_"When we looked Justice up, we fount out she was a lone survivor of a axing in England, the winter before The Lakewood slasher." Stavo said "It's how she lost her left leg." Audrey turned away from them, taking in this new information. "You guys knew I liked this girl and you, you went and did this to her? Dug up the ugly past?" She asked softly a hard edge to her voice, the rest of the car ride was quiet after that._

A nurse approached the group slowly. "Who is here to see, Hathaway, Justice?" Audrey's head snapped up and she rushed past the nurse to the room she hadn't been allowed in, for the last hour. When she practically bust the door down there she was, she looked awful but she was alive and despite the horrific and brutal attack that was inflicted on her she smiled, so purely happy the moment Audrey was in the room it was almost easy to forget what put her in that bed.

\----

"Audrey," JJ whispered to the dark haired girl who briefly froze in the door way. "God I missed you." she finished as Audrey moved closer sitting on the bed carefully, despite wincing JJ moved closer and kissed the girl that took over her mind in the last moments before she thought she was gonna die. Justice pulled away panting "I love you, I meant that completely, Jensen." She smiled when she felt Audrey tug on the front of her hospital gown and plant a sweet kiss on her lips.

The two girls parted, pressing there foreheads together, she felt Audrey's small warm hands cup at her neck. "I love you." Audrey whispered back.

"So erm, we can come back later." Noah said from the doorway already backing out awkwardly, JJ laughed and slowly moved a little away, wincing and placing a hand on her side laying back against the propped up pillows "Stay, if you like." She looked down, "I- I didn't think you would come for me, I didn't want this for you guys to get caught up in this mess, I'm so sorry this is all my fault." she looked down at her hands. She felt so ashamed that she brought this on these people who took her in, became her friends, loved her.

"I am so sorry, I should have stayed in England. I shouldn't of dragged you into this." She looked up at the group her green eyes so broken, so earnest she believed it was all on her. "I - If I had stayed my past wouldn't be - I cant express how sorry I am." She finished watching the group of four in front of her, she felt Audrey sink next to her wrapping both arms around Justice carefully. Justice furrowed her eyebrows at the group, her large green eyes a look of total innocence "What am I missing?" she asked softly.

\----  

They told her about Lakewood, and all that happened there and she couldn't speak. She repeatedly opened her mouth to say something but then quickly closed her mouth knowing from personal experience that nothing she would say could make anything better. She felt Audrey lock her fingers with her own, Justice looked at there inter locked hands "I had no idea, that I-" she shook her head "This is absolutely fucking insane." She rubbed her free hand over her face and let out a sharp gasp, at the pain in her shoulder her hand wrapped with Audrey's instinctively tightened.

"How?" She whispered finally feeling five sets of eyes on her "How am I still alive? he had me for days, fully intended on taking my life. Why?" She felt numb at the information she was in the hands of another killer. She looked at the pale blue cover of hospice blanket. She had been unresponsive for a while a distraught look on her face. She felt a hand stroke her face "I don't know, but I am so glad you are here with me, with us." Audrey said kissing her cheek gently.

There was a long pause before Noah spoke up "So, who is Justin." Which earned him a slap to the chest from his girlfriend Emma, "Ow! why?" He asked rubbing that spot on his chest, "Is this really the time Noah,  Really?" Audrey gave him stink eye from across the room at her spot next to Justice. "No, no it is only fair." JJ said softly looking at Noah then all of them in turn, "You told me about your troubles, I should return the favour and help you with the mystery of what happened to me." She sighed closing her eyes gaining her composure, "Jay, come on you don't need to answer this question." Audrey whispered to her under her breath. Justice squeezed her hand and smiled "No more secrets, no more hiding from what happened, I will tell you everything I know." There was a moment of anticipated silence from the survivors of Lakewood, "Justin is the name of The Axe-man of Woodside." She took a deep breath "And is my long lost brother," the shocked looks covered each and everyone's face in the room. "January 3rd 2015, he murdered our entire family killed my best friend Sam and beheaded my girlfriend, Harper."

 


	5. Keeping the Control

She laid in the hospital bed looking up at the celling, and the questioning hadn't stopped. The police had stopped by during her stay twice, and the questions where always the same. **“Did he tell you where he was going after? or what he planned on doing to you?"** The officer asked Justice sighed "No he didn't tell me where he was going to go after, as for what he planned I don’t know. What I do know is I was hung in the fucking air by my legs one of which isn’t real so that was  _just_ lovely and then carved up like a god damn piece of meat." Her answers had been the same each and every time and now she was starting to get annoyed.

 **"Why didn't you run?"** This she openly scoffed at "Are you actually kidding me between having one leg, tied up and then hung in the air like a pig for slaughter. Who the hell do you think I am? Wonder Woman?" She snapped loudly growing angry now. **"Think you can answer some questions without the level of sarcasm?"** The officer asked gruffly, and Justice glared "If you can ask the questions without the level of stupid." She pursed her lips together watching the cops next move, he shook his head  **"Look kid, if anything else comes up contact us."** He handed her a card and left.

"I can’t deal with how utterly stupid those questions bestowed on me, I mean honestly." She said pacing the room rubbing at her mouth, Audrey from her chair watched her with a slightly amused smile, "Do you know just how British you sounded then?" she pinched her lips together to contain the laughter.

"Thank god you told me, my nationality because for a moment I thought I was from Australia." JJ said sardonically, "Oh is that how it is?" Audrey asked climbing to her feet, slowly stalking towards JJ like a lioness hunting her prey, "I think it is," Justice Jayne whispered coyly. The two met in the middle of the room, both smiled brightly sharing quiet giggles.

 Justice's eyes fluttered close when she felt Audrey's lips ghost along her own. "I am going to spring you, I'll be right back." Audrey said softly, slipping out the room.

\----

 Life had settled down in the last few days, JJ could tell that the ones who now surrounded her were on edge. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, and JJ couldn't help but wonder who could be wearing the mask now and what on earth could they be doing it for. She rested her head against Audrey's legs a remote was settled in her hand "Oh hell no, Foster!" she growled furiously hitting the buttons of the gaming remote in her hands, she hit a combo of buttons to do a parrying against Noah's avatar.

"K.O!" The deep over voice of the game called out as JJ's avatar crumbled to the floor, "Fuck! How the fuck?" She looked between the screen and Noah. "Asshole!" she laughed in shock. "Stavo, you can go up against him this time, I'm not having my ass kicked five times in a row." She gently tossed the remote to Stavo across the floor. She leaned back into the comfort of Audrey's shins, she felt her hands comb through her hair.

She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the video game characters fight on screen. She looked up into the blue eyes of her loved one and smiled "Audrey," She said softly gaining the attention of the raven haired beauty, she opened her mouth to start to speak but stopped reaching around her neck to pull off the rope necklace which was one of the last gift's from her parents, a pewit pendent with a Norse symbol for love. "Audrey, would you -" She laughed nervously "I- would you be my girlfriend? Officially?" She smiled nervously.

"Yes, Justice!" She grabbed JJ's face, stopping the green eyed girl from babbling. "I said yes, I would love to JJ." she said softly crouched beside the girl on the floor. The front of JJ's plaid shirt was tugged on and the brunette British girl hummed against her girlfriends lips.

\----

She had stepped away from the living room and was leaning on the counter in the kitchen when her phone started to vibrate, the name on the glowing screen was Thomas Viktor. 

“Hey Thomas,” she picked up the phone but he sounded rough, she furrowed her eyebrows when he said it was so lovely seeing her the other day. “Tom? I didn’t see you the other day?” She said slowly but she had figured it out and swallowed hard “who is this?” She felt the blood in her veins run cold  **“Took you long enough, Justice.”** The slashers voice whispered gleefully.

”Okay you played your stupid game, now tell me what you want.” She asked moving though the flat checking the windows and closet doors, she had become aware of the room full of eyes on her.  **“I just want to give you the truth, everyone has being lying to you.”**

She scoffed “The truth? And what might that be if you care to enlighten me?” She snapped not wanting to play his games. She sighed unable to think clearly with the whispers of the maniac in her ear, a low laugh came through the speaker of the phone **"Oh, Justice come to the door."** Her head snapped up to look at the locked door she laughed "you think I am stupid enough to open that door if you truly are on the other side of that door?" She asked her voice shaking.

"Oh I swear it's just me." It was Thomas' voice again, and she swallowed "Go to hell, Asshole." She hung up the phone the back of her thighs hit the sofa, loud pounding shook the door, making it tremble in the frame then died down. One loud thud of something sinking in the door then the sound of fading away footsteps. She stepped forwards to the door hand wrapping around the handle, "Wait, JJ no!" Noah said as she opened the door and nobody was there she stepped into the hallway, she looked to the end of the hall not noticing what was pinned to the door and saw the edges of a black raincoat whip around the corner. "Oi!" she yelled taking off as her new friends ran out behind her "No!" Emma yelled knowing the killers motives as they targeted her twice before.

Justice ducked as the masked man ran at her brandishing a knife, she dodged kicking out at the mans legs. The knife connected with the wall leaving a deep gash in the plastered wall, dust rained down into JJ's dark brown hair "Ugh!" she grunted pushing away from the wall he cornered her in throwing herself full weight into the killer sending the two tumbling down the stairs of the apartment building. She landed a good jab against the tormentor here and there. The two sprawled to the floor, she clambered to her feet and kicked out at his stomach sending him sprawling to the floor.

she staggered on her feet braising herself against the wall breathing heavily, she blinked dizzily looking for the knife wielding maniac that just was on his back. But he was gone and she turned on the spot feeling a queasiness take over. The thunder fall of noise sounded from the stairs as five people rushed to her the first was a shove of an angry girlfriend calling her an idiot for the stunt she pulled.

Justice blinked and smiled weakly “I got his phone.” She held up the strangers phone triumpetphly.


	6. The Code

 

The chaos that followed after JJ tackled the killer down the stairs was horrific, Thomas Victor had gone missing and the wake of destruction rested on her shoulders. She held her head in her hands "This is all my fault, if I hadn't gone trying to play hero." She groaned. Five people had been murdered in three days, "What? No." Stavo said making JJ look up "No, if you believe that then this sick bastard is one step closer." He said.

"The police said, that Thomas isn't a victim and he possibly behind this." Noah said looking up from his laptop, "This is BULLSHIT." Audrey snapped "How many times are going to have to play some Psychopath's games?" JJ stepped up grabbing her hands looking into the gem like blue eyes "We'll figure this out. All right? We will." She said softly furrowing her eyebrows. She stepped away from Audrey, "First things first." She said grabbing the phone she had swiped from the killer. She set up her laptop hooking the devices together "Time to figure who good ol' Ghost face is," She smirked hunching over the computer typing away the screen black with green and white writing.

She felt the sofa dip down with the applied pressure, of someone leaning over to look at the laptop. She rubbed her face, he leg shaking in a jerking motion of excess energy. She raised one hand to her mouth chewing on her nails as the laptop loaded Justice J placed device on the coffee table and everyone gathered around the screen, there was a collective groan as the screen lit up with the name _Brandon James_.

\----

_"In there now," Audrey pushed JJ into the bathroom in a bossy tone. JJ didn't argue as she had just tackled a knife wielding maniac down a flight of stairs, the door clicked into place and JJ gave her girlfriend an apprehensive look. "What is wrong with you?" She asked "Seriously JJ, you could have been killed." The green eyed girl adverted her eyes downwards._

_"He was there, he planned it and I was stupid enough to fall for it okay? it was a trap and I walked in eyes wide open." Justice said ashamed, "Even if I didn't he still would of been there, at least he focused on just one of us instead of all of us." She tried to justify._

_Audrey scoffed "And you thought I would be okay with that?"  she gave JJ's shoulder a push. "What? No course not, Audrey I'm not going to leave you." JJ grasped on to the shorter girl's shoulders "Look at me, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe from him, as long as I'm around. Nothing bad is going to happen to you." JJ's green eyes searched the blue depths of Audrey's "I don't plan on letting that sicko get to any of you, you been through this too many times." She sighed stepping closer wrapping her arms around Audrey in a tight hug. "I'm here. I'm here. I'm not going to leave you." JJ murmured to her girlfriend._

_She felt Audrey's warm hands cup her cheeks, making Justice look at her green met blue. Her lips brushed JJ's. Not innocently, soft or gentle but hot, passionate and demanding. She kissed her as if every motion of their lips commanded the world to stop around them, Justice lifted her up onto the bathroom counter both clutching at each other as it would be the last time. JJ ran her fingers down her spine, pulling the dark haired girl closer leaving no space between them, she could feel the rhythmic beating of her girlfriends heart against her own chest._

_"Audrey!" Noah said busting the door down to the bathroom, coming face to face with the two girls in such a compromising position. "Oh, god no oh." he said before turning out the room "Noah, what the hell get out!" Audrey yelled at her best friend. "This is really awkward and I'm sorry but we really need to talk." Noah said from outside the door turned away from them, "Does it have to be right this minuet?" JJ asked buttoning up her shirt "Mm-hm" Noah said looking into the room and looking away._

_\----_

 She sat in the shade of a large tree, out of the hundred degree California weather. Justice rubbed a hand over her face sighing the death toll had surpassed Piper's count and no one was any closer to figuring out who the new killer was, it was getting out of hand. It had only been a week since her last in counter with Ghostface, She leaned her head against the tree groaning. "Well, that's not a pleasant way to greet an old friend." The ginger man beamed down at Justice, she stammered blinking "Rory?" She stammered out holding her hand, Rory helped up JJ. She launched herself into the tall mans arms "Its been so long, what are you doing here?" She asked stepping back looking up into the hazel eyes.

"I came out to stalk you," and Justice laughed nervously at his dry humour, "Kidding." The Irish man said holding his hands up. She had her back up against the tree looking down not knowing what to say to him since Harper had died. She hadn't spoken much to anyone after that particular moment in her life. She rubbed at her arm and when he reached out for her she flinched "I just wanted to talk to you, and since you moved out here. You're pretty much impossible to get a hold off." He said swinging his arms at his side, "Yeah there's a reason for that Rory. I'm at school, how did you even get past campus security?" She asked furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"There's campus security? Wow Jay, fancy school." She groaned moving her hands in a expressive manner. "Rory, you can’t just follow me to another country to talk, your toeing the line of actual stalker!" She gasped out trying to get a reaction from him. "Do you not see how weird this is?" Rory looked down "I just, you are the only one who would speak with me about Harper." He said reaching out for Justice.

"Sorry, Sorry I can't do this," She gasped out grabbing her messenger bag from the grass and darting away from Rory.

She neared the school mascot statue when Brooke stepped out grabbing on to Justice's shoulder, "JJ what's wrong?" She asked looking over Justice's shoulder to see Rory standing under the tree she was just under. "Was he bothering you?" She shook her head "No, he erm- His Harper's brother." Brooke wrapped her arm around Justice's shoulders and lead her away to a nearby coffee shop.

\----

 Justice sat with her hands entwined and pressed to the bridge of her noise. "He said he came out here just to talk to me," she swallowed hard. "What if he? what if? -" She trailed off feeling sick. "You're worried he might be like Harper," JJ glared down at her coffee. "I don't want to hear her name," she spat out spitefully the betrayal washed over her. "Okay," Brooke dragged out holding the paper cup in both hands.

"Sorry, I just. I can't deal with that, with her right now." She rubbed her face, sighing. "J, you know we will support you, in any-"

"I can't go around pointing fingers at people just for being creepy, Brooke." Justice cut of her friend. "We need more evidence, isn't that exactly with Ghostface wants? For us to point fingers at the wrong people? To start questioning everyone around us? How are we meant to win this way?" She rested her head in her hands. "I don't know..." Brooke admitted.

\---- 

_Justice joined the others in the living room, “okay what was so important I had to be emotionally scarred by Noah?” JJ asked sitting down next to Audrey who stifled her laughter behind a clenched fist pretending to cough._

_A look of chargrin crossed Noah’s face “I did say I was sorry.” He mumbled and JJ smiled “Just please knock next time?” She asked kindly to the embarrassed boy who nodded like his life depended on it. “So is anybody going to speak up on this urgent matter?” She asked leaning fowards on her seat. “You should see this.” Stavo handed her a crinkled yellowing envelope._

_She took the letter carefully turning it over in her hands with furrowed eyebrows “what?” She began to ask but the breath caught in her throat. The scribbled writing that had been scratched across the yellowing page, she could barely focus on the words after; **Dear Justin,**_

_They were her words in her handwriting, ten minuets had passed and Justice still hadn't moved except her lips that kept mouthing 'Dear Justin,' she read on the note made her feel sick tears brimmed in her green eyes she threw the letter down and stood suddenly pacing the room rubbing the sides of her face she would stop every few paces looking as if she were to say something, sadness first, then completely blank but when she looked up there was a blind fury in her eyes something unalike they have ever seen on her face she turned on her heel pulled the door open and slammed it. The door rattled in the frame a resounding echo was left behind along with five stunned faces._


	7. Broken

Audrey's POV

The room was an absolute mess and among the carnage was JJ, sat with her back to the wall hiding her face in her knees. Her shoulders shook the sobs were quiet but so plainly there "How I feel, this... inside me, I wish I couldn't feel anything, Audrey." she stuttered out looking up her cheeks wet with tears "I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing." a single tear fell down her face, it was the most broken she had ever seen Justice. Even when she was being held by the killer beaten to a pulp, she just took it giving lip with every hit and every cut, but this was a betrayal.

She ran both her hands though her brown hair, her smile was broken and Audrey, didn't know what to do or to say. What did you say to the person you loved who just found out that the person they previously loved never loved them? That was an act for their entire relationship, that took part in killing her family and helped make the plans. She got closer to Justice and she could see the pain in her eyes, she was hyperventilating " _Pump,"_ she rasped reaching out for a small blue plastic object on the floor.

Audrey dived for the plastic object and pressed it to her girlfriend's lips, letting her breath in the misted air from the inhaler. It was a few minuets before J's breathing returned to normal. "I let her into my life, I, I let her manipulate me, fool me." She started speaking in a stained voice, wincing "I thought she loved me, it's all my fault. I brought her into my life and my family's life and she helped kill them." Justice hung her head in shame.

"I tried protecting her from him." She shook her head, Audrey moved closer taking her hands.

\----

 Parent's day had come and despite Justice's reluctance, Audrey won that disagreement and she was going to meet the parents. That morning she may have creeped out of girlfriend's bed and gone for a walk. The nerves were eating at her, she sat at a picnic table chewing on her nails. The students milled about with their parents talking jovially, a dark shadow cut off her view as someone sat opposite her and she sighed looking up at Rory. "I see you replaced my sister with some slut."

Justice's head snapped up, a low enraged growl left her mouth " _You_ don't get to talk about her that way." She snarled standing from the bench her face twisted in anger. "Don't you ever speak foul about her," she pointed a finger at him glaring, the hulking mass of the larger ginger man grabbed her hand and twisted it back, making the brunette gasp as he griped harder twisting her arm "I will say what ever I goddamn please." he snarled pushing the amputee to the ground.

Rory had made quite the commotion, two people ran to Justice's side gentle hands grabbed her own "Jay, are you okay?" Brooke asked wrapping her arm around Justice's waist. Lola was the second person to come running to Justice's aid "Lo?" Justice stepped away tilting her head at her old friend "I - how, what are you doing here?"

"Still saving your smart ass from getting it kicked, aren't I?" The emo girl smirked her silver lip piercing gleaming in the sun light. "That doesn't answer my question." Brooke stepped forwards to stand by Justice's side.

"I invited her." The blonde girl spoke up from next to her. JJ, looked between the two a small smile tugged at her lips “Thank you, Brooke.” The green eyed girl murmured.

She stepped fowards and threw her arms around her old friend “It’s good to see you, but it’s not safe Lola. You should go home.” She stepped away holding her an arms length away. Lola cocked her head to the side “what do you mean?” concern filled her doe brown eyes. Justice wanted to tell her she really did, but how do you convey the importance of her wanting her friend to leave and save herself. How do you look your best friend in the eyes and tell her your being hunted like a fox?

Especially when you knew this particular friend, was the worlds most stubborn person to have ever graced gods green earth. She stared into those brown eyes unable to explain herself in that moment. "I want you to meet someone very important to me," She had uttered instead, a smile etched itself on to Justice's face.

 ----

_The profound loneliness and isolation she felt in her hospital room was suffocating. Justice felt cut of from the world nobody left of who she loved, she just wanted to die. Each day in that same routine of wake up, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. She knew her mental health was spiralling and even her weight was dropping at an alarming rate._

_As more days passed alone in that hospital she fount herself caring less about living, she was ready to die. Three days since she last ate, and the hunger still hadn't come she felt herself slip in and out of consciousness. Some times she swore she saw her parents standing next to her, when she came back around it was Lola staring at her, eyes red as she had to watch her friend slowly become a husk of the person she used to be._

_"Justice, please don't go like this." Her friend pleaded in a broken voice, grasping on to her friends hand. "We can still save you. You can still get your life back," Her friend continued on laying her forehead against the pale blue sheets that covered her friends tawny body. "You still have us, you still have your friends we are your family too," Justice's fingers briefly flexed around Lola's hand, hollow green met broken brown "Please," Lola whispered as Justice's eyes filled with tears "I'm so scared," she admitted weakly._

_\----_

  _There were some bad days, and some unexpected beautiful days. Justice's fondest memory was of Jasper when he would come and he was joy. He brought hope with him on days when Justice had felt that hope had been lost. His joyful smile, when he 'broke' her out of the hospital and they roamed around the town they grew up together in he would look over at her and smile. It made her feel as if she wasn't now a different person she was who she had always been in his eyes, his best friend._

_They went Pokémon hunting, he pushed her wheelchair as they ran up and down the coast. With Jasper at her side all the pain went away at least for a little while and he was happy to be there and let her lean against him, sometimes they would just sit side by side and sometimes the pain didn't stop with him there and he would stay as she cried and mourned the people she lost her family. Her best friend would stay there for hours sometimes days as the pain consumed her, she would later be diagnosed with acute depression. It was a pain she felt course though her veins the emotions burned in her throat._

_Some days, she would feel everything at once. Other days, she would feel nothing at all. Justice didn't know what was worse: Drowning beneath the waves or dying from the thirst._

_\----_

Brooke's POV

 Brooke watched her friend come up to Justice’s side and take her hand “Hey How you doing, Rey?” JJ murmured bringing her girlfriend closer “I didn’t think you were coming.” Audrey said leaning her head against Justice’s shoulder.

”And what leave you to face the music alone?” JJ asked kissing the top of Audrey’s head before seriously saying “You want me to meet your dad, and I - I love you and I’m serious about us, so I should meet your dad.” Justice added laying a hand on her girlfriend’s waist. Justice turned and smiled at Brooke and Lola. Audrey locked her fingers with JJ's and there were incoherent words shared between the two dark haired girls, Brooke turned to Lola and tilted her head at the girl next to her who was watching Audrey and Justice. 

Lola started speaking softly as she watched her friend and smiled “Thank you, Brooke. For inviting me to come see JJ, and for you all taking her in as a friend.” She was quiet for a few tense moments “It’s been to many years since I’ve see her be this happy.” She added softly looking at the blonde next to her, her comment gained Brooke’s full attention.

"What do you mean," Brooke asked turned to fully face the blue haired gothic girl opposite her, the girl. JJ's best friend looked at her hands twisting the rings along her fingers, her walnut brown eyes flickered over to the two girls talking quietly, JJ sat leaning her head on Audrey's shoulder. "It's not my story to tell, it's hers."

\----

She fidgeted with her fingers, her leg shook under the table. "Will you calm down?" Audrey smiled taking JJ's hand from across the table. Justice snorted with laughter and looked down, her hand came up to cover Audrey's over her own. "Sorry, it's going well. I'll try," The brunette looked over at Audrey's father at the café counter ordering himself another coffee.  

Howard Jensen sat down next to his daughter, and JJ shyly started pulling her hands closer to herself and almost out of Audrey's grasp. When Audrey tightened her grasp on her girlfriends hands, "You were just saying your mother was a writer?" Howard asked JJ shaking a sugar package into his coffee, and Justice nodded "Yeah, her work was great. She had an incredible library of books back home."

"I still have all her books, they span so many different topics and subjects. She was brilliant." She felt the subtle squeeze Audrey gave her hand, "I truly wish you could have met them," Mr. Jensen nodded solemnly. 


	8. Dear Justin

That weekend she thought of her parents a lot, more than she had since their deaths. Watching her friends interact with their parents was quite beautiful to her, to see there happiness to be surrounded by so much love. Lola wrapped her arm loosely around Justice’s shoulder and JJ leaned against her friend smiling slightly.

”Thank you for coming here.” She told her friend softly, the one person she loved most of her life, her partner in crime since childhood. She noticed how Emma interacted with her father and vise versa, she clearly loved her dad but there was a distance between them like a dance of territory. She didn't understand how he could be hugging his daughter but look as if he would rather be somewhere else.  _She shook his hand and told him how wonderful it was to meet, but something felt wrong when she looked into his cold blue eyes. Mr. Duval smiled and told her likewise but the way her name rolled of his tongue sent an unwelcome shiver down her spine. As if she had heard that voice before, saying her name in the same manner._

_\----  
_

“You’re smiling did something good happen?” Brooke asked in a suggestive tone, and JJ furrowed her eyebrows at her friend “what, I can’t just be smiling because I feel like it?” 

“Lola tripped and fell in the parking lot.”Audrey said and Justice pressed her lips together to withhold the sniggering. “I hate you.” Lola said glaring at her best friend. “I helped you up.” Justice shot back with a smirk knowing Lola would bite back. "Uh-huh no bickering, everyone is waiting." Brooke held up a finger to the two bickering girls.

They went though to the room up ahead, the two girls shared a look when the saw the long table and everyone gathered around “Like walking into the God Father’s lair.” Her friend whispered.

“Right! Now everyone’s here we can eat!” Brooke clapped her hands together. The dinner was quite and quite uneventful for the most part, Kevin Duval stabbed at the pasta dish in front of him “Justice, where are your parents tonight?” He asked nonchalantly, and the noise at the table died as everyone looked at the two. “I - they are, they couldn’t be here. They're dead.” She said stuttering.

Her hands shook and she swallowed hard, bottom lip trembling as Mr.Duval had an on slaughter of questions "I can't be here, right now." she quickly retreated back to the dinner's bathroom. As she retreated she heard her friends words fill her ears distorted. 

The blue haired girl's face twisted in an unchecked rage. "Where do you get off?" She snarled slamming her hand down on the table in front of her "Did you really think that was okay? That any of those questions were okay?" The Gothic girl seethed turning on her heels to go after her friend.

\----

“Not real, it’s not real.” Her voice trembled and she buried her head against her legs her arms over her head as if to keep herself safe. 

She closed her eyes to block out the overstimulation of lights and noise, her bottom lip trembled and she couldn’t stop it, the memories washed over her like a tsunami.

Justice had always hated when a panic attack happened because it always took over and she could never pull herself back from the dark thoughts it creates to torment her. Her stomach twisted and she blinked dizzily, her breaths coming out in short pants. The locked bathroom shook in its frame the commotion of voices on the other side sounded so far away she didn’t catch there words. 

Justice crawled away from the door desperately trying to get away from the noise, it was like white hot iron branding itself into her brain the pain paralysing.

Short breaths came quicker now, her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and she crashed to the bathroom floor unable to move, the panic attack had finally taken over.  _She was sitting in the police station called in to report to the officer what had happened that night. Her eyes scanned his desk and she saw the pictures that made her stomach drop and her heart hurt, the crime scene pictures of her family all dead the blood that splattered the walls of her grandparents house. She grabbed the nearby trash can and threw up._

A weak groan left JJ’s mouth as Audrey flipped her to her back placing both hands on her face, tears in her eyes “Baby?” She asked feebly.

_It was terrifying being stuck in your own head seeing out at the vulnerable position you were in and not being able to pull through, not being able to tell the people around you what was happening._

”Come on let’s get her into a sitting position.”Lola surged forwards tucking her arm under Justice’s shoulders “come on Hathaway, you’re not there. You are with us his not here.” Lola coaxed her friend talking softly “You’re with me your best friend, Audrey is here come on.”

_She heard Harper’s voice as if just next to her ‘Dear Justin,_

_I miss you, Justice recently told me she loved me and all I could think about was you. The plan is working Justice trusts me now, I’m pretty sure I could convince her to do anything.‘_

JJ swallowed hard but stared blankly ahead of her into the depths of the blue eyes of Audrey Jensen. Then the sharp sensation of being slapped and she gasped grasping her cheek “Bitch,” she said turning to look at Lola who grinned “Love you too.” She still felt her hands trembling and looked down her breathing still unsteady "Are you okay?" the words were distorted and despite the sharp pains in her chest "I'm fine, I just need a moment." she want ready to step out of the diners bathroom and face everyone again. 

 _'I wait for my instructions from you, please can I see you this time? I miss your touch and I'm not sure how much longer I can pretend that Justice is you without a reminder..._ _I can't wait to see the looks on her parent's faces as I butcher them for you, they deserve it for everything that has happened. But I will continue to play the perfect part.'_

Suddenly Justice fount herself shaking her head and clamping a hand over her mouth "I'm not fine," she croaked before jumping to her feet, her stomach churning as she tried to stop the rise of bile in her throat. Harper's letter she kept seeing the words float before her eyes, and hearing her voice as if it were being read to her by Harper. JJ clutched on to the toilet throwing up and heaving. Her full body shook as she tried to hold on to what was left in her stomach.


	9. Clues

Following JJ’s panic attack at the dinner the other night she finally showed Audrey and Noah the letter The was pinned to the apartment front door for her and it was honestly something that Noah believed would mess with him enough that have a momentary laps of what was real. He now understood what had been eating at her these last few days.

 _’_ _Dear Justin,_  
_I miss you, Justice recently told me she loved me and all I could think about was you. The plan is working Justice trusts me now, I’m pretty sure I could convince her to do anything._  
_I will wait for my instructions from you, please can I see you this time? I miss your touch and I’m not sure how much longer I can pretend Justice is you without a reminder…_  
_I can’t wait to see the looks on her parents as I butcher them for you, they deserve it for everything that has happened, but I will continue to play the perfect part._  
_But I need to know when I can achieve our goal, this pathetic geek is nothing compared to you, she can die like the rest of them._  
_I’m currently trying to get another sleepover at Justice’s so I can learn the house layouts, I don’t want to fail you._  
_Her parents seem to be out a lot at the moment so when they stay in for the weekend I can convince Justice to go out with friends, this gives me the perfect opportunity to spray the walls with their blood._  
_I love you and I’m glad you found me, please stay in contact_.

 _All my love,_  
Harper  
xoxo’ 

Justice stood by the window of Audrey’s shared apartment chewing on her knuckle unable to look any of her friends in the eyes. Lola made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat “If she wasn’t already dead,” she glared at the piece of paper “I would kill her myself.” 

Justice was stoically quite looking out the window, “JJ?” Noah asked softly snapping her back to the conversation, she looked over at her friends the new and the old and still she couldn’t express what she felt about the revaluation nothing that would come to mind and she could think over what she could say so she just started speaking “I didn’t know what to feel at first when I fount out about it all if I was angry, hurt I just couldn’t put what I felt into words or express it. I went back to my dorm and trashed my room anything that I kept of hers was the first i grabbed then it was kind of a blurred line between the two.”

Justice looked away playing with the curtain holder ashamed “I haven’t ever experienced that kind of anger before, to be betrayed by someone I thought I could trust her with my life, and to be slapped in the face with that truth it didn’t make me think straight and I didn’t know how to handle it.”

She was shame faced at her actions and admitting what she did “when you fount me in my dorm you must have thought I was a freak, Rey. I should of told you shown you what would set me off in such a way.” She guilty met the eyes of her girlfriend.

JJ felt her throat tighten with the wave of emotions that hit her “Because how can I look any of you in the eyes when I know, I did He targeted me because of who my parents were, I let her into my life. I was both of their in, so it’s my fault right? I killed my family because I chose love.” Her bottom lip trembled and her green eyes glasses over “ _I killed them_.” She reaffirmed.

"His just messing with you Justice, you can't blame yourself for other peoples actions." Brooke said in a defensive tone, grasping her friends shoulders easing up on her hold when JJ hissed as the blonde's hands bore down into the week old stitches on her shoulder. Lola narrowed her eyes at the two "Who is him? what happened to your arm JJ." Everyone had forgotten about Lola was in the room and they all shared a look "Er," was all Justice could get out truly lost for words. Only to be cut of by the ringing of Audrey's phone it vibrated across the coffee table.

Justice moved closer to the raven haired girl's side as she picked up the phone and the British girl read the words that lit up the screen "Unknown Number." she said and nodded as Audrey pressed pressed the little green button answering the phone " _Your poor little JJ, her mental stability is hanging on by the last threads._ " The unnaturally deep voice called out gleefully _"To cut away the last threads will be a pleasure."_ The voice whispered before the call ended. Her hands shook and she hid her face in them, the silence in the room was deafening.

She felt sick to her stomach, breathing slowly to overcome a looming panic attack. 

————

She thought back to sitting on Noah’s bedroom floor listening to him recording for The Morgue. How he theorised murder and the killers motives behind everything, she remembered being interested in his thought process, the way he made death and murder sound less morbid and not as permanent.

It’s a game to them, she just had to figure out what the next move would be. Justice chewed on her bottom lip their intentions were clear it was to mess with her but there was more why her? Why would someone start the copycat killing again. Unless it wasn't a copycat she swallowed hard looking up the blind panic on her face, her heart raced as if it had shifted from muscle to a humming bird in her chest. This wasn't a copycat, "The people before," she whispered and everyone watched her with concerned look "People? what people?" Brooke asked standing in front of JJ. "Piper, Kieron, They, you said they would contact you though social media." She felt bad for bringing up the names of her friends past tormentors.

"This time is different." she said furrowing her eyebrows, "She's right." Noah said a look of sudden realisation crossed his face, Justice stood biting her bottom lip. "The killer has been communicating solely though phone call, and hacking and streaming the videos through to just us, this is not a statement." Justice said and Noah nodded adding "Or something they are parading to the police or to scare the public, This killer is targeting us and only we are getting the clues and contact from them."

"I don't think they are a copycat." Justice finally said after a long pause, gaining everyone's attention again. "Who ever was behind the murders from the first set of Lakewood Killing's there back," 

\----

Lola's POV

"I just need to get away from all this crazy." Lola circled her hand in the direction of Justice, who was just hanging her head. "You should go home," JJ said softly and Lola nodded "Yeah, I'll just go back to your dorm and everything should be hunky dory huh?" Lola asked sardonically. "No," JJ dead panned "Home, Lola. England it will be safer for you best case scenario is who ever this killer is they don't know how Important you are to me or hopefully they don't care but, you need to go home."

Lola glared at her best friend "Fine, fine you want to stay behind and become a shish kebab go right on ahead with that plan." She spat the words out like venom, making Justice flinch back from Lola, "I'm not going to try and sway you anymore if you want to stay and die." The blue haired girl shoved past her friend knocking her friend into the wall as she stormed out of the apartment. A cloud of anger fogged up Lola's mind, her feet pounded against the concrete stairs of the apartment complex.

In the haze of mind Lola had rushing to leave the apartment complex she rushed down the pathway, heading into the heart of the campus she turned down a beaten up path across the open field near Justice's dorm room, Lola ran into someone's chest she stifled a scream not like anyone would hear her out there.

\----

 Justice stood with her back pressed to the wall, which her best friend shoved her into a look of shock written all over her face. She didn’t dare move an inch as her friend in a fit of rage stormed from the apartment.

She waited with baited breath, and slowly slid down the wall, Lola’s harsh words cut deep and left scars as brutish as the killers marks. 

All she had wanted was to keep her friends safe, and she couldn’t even get that one thing right. She pushed her friend away in fear that she could be next, pushed her to go home now Lola was god knows where. 


	10. Chaos has Come Again

"And who do you think they will _really_ believe the girl who just stumbled into their collective lives or Emma's father?" The greying haired man sneered.

"Oh yeah some father you were, as I heard really involved in your daughter's life weren't you?" Justice retorted back in a snarky tone back at the man. The doors crashed open nearby as JJ turned her head to look in the direction  of the commotion the man slammed the barrel of the gun into the side of her head, she fell to her knees disoriented from the blow.

"In here I got the killer, she's here!" Kevin Duval called out shakily, expertly playing the part he had for years, she felt the guns presence at the back of her skull and raised her hands in the air.

She sucked in the air trembling, she was going to take the fall for murders she did not commit because the true killer was an excellent conman. He framed Brandon James for it over twenty years ago and now he had framed her. 

\----

That’s how she ended up here in a bleak interrogation room her hands cuffed to the table. Her eyes cast down to her pale scarred hands, this was it chained up like a true criminal. Justice sighed, she had been sitting here for a few hours already she didn’t know what the local cops were playing at, perhaps letting her stew in the guilt she didn’t have, she never killed anyone she shouldn’t be here.

”I told you, I didn’t kill anyone you’ve got the wrong person!” She called out frustedly. “I didn’t do it,” her voice faltered she hung her head as her eyes started to burn with tears. 

Justice’s head snapped up at the sudden uproar of noise outside in the waiting room, she eyed the door warily. The resounding shouts of a argumentative nature shook the room, yet Justice couldn't quite make-out the significance behind it. She could have sworn her heart had stopped for a moments, the silence had came as quickly as the noise and the lacklustre of noise was just as deafening.

Hypervigilance, like a constant state of an overwhelming panic attack. The steady click of a key unlocking the door of the integration room and there loomed the large frame of a man, the man in question she didn't know and as if she had all the time in the world like she was drowning and fighting her way to the surface desperate to hold of on the reflex to inhale that first lungful of water. The agonising feeling but she held off her muscles screamed at her to move but it her mind and her body were no longer a team as she stared into the blue eyes of the stranger.

She swallowed hard jolting back as the casually dressed man stepped into the room. The shackles of her handcuffs left a resounding metallic clang trough the small room as she cried out at the snap back of her wrists as they were held in place she was stuck with this stranger, someone who could easily be a threat to her. Justice took a shuddered breath "Stay back!" she ordered with as much authority she could muster with her shaking voice.  

\----

She leaned her head against the cool concrete wall of her holding cell. It had been a day since she last saw anyone at all and she was feeling as if her skin was crawling in the small confined space. Justice had her hands buried in her long dark hair that hung wildly around her face. It had been almost twelve hours since her world once again turned upside down.

Most recently it felt to her that another hurdle always loomed around the corner threatening to trip her up. It tripped her up so bad she might as well lie face first on the floor. Everything she knew or she had though she had known about her family was a lie. She thought back just to mere few hours ago.

_The handsome blonde haired man closed the door behind him, A tidel wave of panic washed over Justice. She saw her friends run towards the door, the horrified look that crossed her girlfriend's face at the blood and bruising that stained her face._

_Justice met the kind blue eyes of the stranger she now shared the room with, the trembles that took hold of her shook her body as she looked at him. "Justice," the man had said pleadingly holding his hands in front of him, slowly advancing cautiously as if she were a creature easily spooked. Which was these days a more accurate description than not. "Please, just leave me alone. I didn't kill anyone." She whispered her face crumpling and the sobs shook her shoulders. The flood gates had been open._

_Disregarding everything he had been doing just moments ago. The blond man rushed forwards taking the scared girl in his arms "I know love, I know." he whispered soothingly smoothing back her dark hair._

\---- 

Audrey's POV

She looked at the looming LED screen, that moments ago hosted images of nonsensical cartoon skeletons dancing loosely.

Now loomed two images that were far more sinister than the last, the music died and the thrumming base along with it, she felt her throat tighten. Justice and Lola, on two separate screens. Lola tied to a post in a dark field her faced flushed of all colour, besides the splatters of blood up her cheeks.

Audrey's blue eyes flicker to Justices screen, her arms dangled loosely at her sides. The chains confiding her, kept her in place but were slowly slipping down her slender frame. Her head lulled forwards she was completely lifeless, Audrey felt her knees begin to buckle under her weight she felt disoriented not completely hearing the words of her friends around her, it hadn't even been a hour since she last saw Justice and she was now _dead._

Her girlfriend had assured her she was fine, she was supposed to be released tomorrow morning. She sank to the floor wordlessly she was supposed to be there to pick Justice up in the morning. She was meant to come home to her, now the killer had gotten to her and Lola. Screams filled the air she looked up as the screen, and there was the killer next to Lola machete in hand tilting there head slightly, the killer walked around Lola then positioned themselves behind her, Lola's muffled screams of terror filled the small enclosed room. Mixing in, being drowned out by the murmuring and gasps running through the room.

There was a long pause before the machete burst through Lola's chest and the killer started to saw downwards. Audrey watched in horror was the girl's intestines spilled to the ground. The screaming was ringing in her ears as everyone in a frenzied panic rushed to the exits. She started numbly at the two screens before a loud splash sounded from the other screen a blonde woman had dove into the deep water and started to free Justice. "Mom?" Emma said staring at the screen. Maggie Duval had hooked her arms under JJ's arms and pulled her up to the surface.


	11. The things we lost

 

Maggie Duval hauled a disoriented Justice down the steps of the school's natatorium. "Come on, Justice just a few more steps," the blonde haired woman urged the barely conscious girl "Just a little further," Maggie said gently. Justice's legs started to buckle under her own weight, even though her friend's mother took on most of it for her.

Justice was partially dragging down Ms. Duval. The woman huffed under the exertion of the handicapped girl's weight.

JJ staggered forwards, slipping out of Maggie’s hold and started to tip fowards down the steps before landing into the arms of Troy James, who had seen the two women struggling to get down the steps of the natatorium. 

“I got you,” Troy murmured swinging his daughter up into his arms and carrying her to the awaiting ambulance. 

\---- 

_Three day's ago - Audrey's POV_

_The friends of Justice waited just on the other side of the counter, a heavy pit rested in there stomachs. How could they have arrested Justice?  "How could your father do this to her?" Audrey spat venomously at her friend her blue eyes cold. "I can't believe he would do this," She huffed out crossing her arms clenching her jaw pointedly ignoring Emma._

_"What if he is telling the truth?" Emma raised her voice waving her arm towards the two separate interrogation rooms, which hosted both Kevin Duval and JJ Hathaway. "You are going to look me in the eye and call my girlfriend a murder? Like when it was my fault that your half-sister went on a murder spree?" Audrey jumped to her feet. "That is not what I am saying! I am just saying it could be a possibility!"   Emma's voice raised in exasperation. "Justice has been with us on nearly every occasion in case you have conveniently forgotten this."_

_Emma huffed at the angry girl "No, I haven't forgotten Audrey."_

_The two girl's stopped arguing when the front door's on the police station had opened with a sudden booming force. Cracking with a resounding bang against the tiled walls, a furious looking blonde man was followed by a dark haired woman and two teens at his heels. "Where is my daughter?" He roared at the officer at the front desk._

_"I demand that I see her this instance!" He snarled slamming his fist against the desk. Narrowing his eyes at the front desk "I want to see Justice Hathaway."_

_\--_

 Audrey sat there stunned, a distant ringing in her ears hands grabbed her shoulders but she couldn't bring herself to care as Noah tugged her to her feet, a burning feeling spread it's way through her chest and up her throat. The sour taste invaded her mouth she collapsed to the ground before she started to gag. She coughed and splutter up the non-existent contents of her stomach on to the floor.

She looked up at the screens her eyes watering, Lola still hung on the post lifeless and Justice was gone. "J-Justice." she rasped out, "Where's Justice?" She staggered to her feet. Emma was on the phone a few feet away worry and a stressful look was washed away with relief. " _oh, thank god."_ Emma whispered softly in the new found silence that had descended on the large room. The lights of the party so out of place, cheerfully pulsing an array of colours over the small group.

\--

Audrey was the first one to dart out of the car as it was just slowing to a stop. The looming structure of the luminescent hospital spilled light onto Audrey's figure. Her shadow stretched out behind her, decreasing to a small circle under her feet. 

The dark haired girl ran to the front desk, her hair in a wild halo around her face. Her blue eyes red rimmed "Justice Hathaway, I'm here to see Justice, please." she pleaded the nurse at the front desk.  

When she ran into the sterile hospital room she didn’t know what to expect, but never in her wildest nightmares did she expect this.

The last time Justice had been taken like this, when Audrey ran into the room the green eyed girl, beaten and bruised was beaming at her. This time however she laid still on the hospital bed, a heart monitor beeping steadily at her bedside and an oxygen mask adorned to her face. She had never of thought that alive meant that she was in such a state. She was barely breathing without the support.  

The bruise she had gained only days prior, still stained her pale skin a deep purple. Audrey continued gawking at her girlfriend for several moments before she realized she wasn't the only one at Justice's bedside. Troy James sat beside her bed hands clasped together and head bowed as if he were praying.

\--

"She's not looking too hot," Brooke noted in a soft voice, it had been hours and nothing had happened not a stir or flicker of movement of her eyes. The blonde who was just gently dabbing a damp cloth on JJ's face had turned away to look at Audrey sympathetically. Brooke had ordered Emma and the boys out of the room when the argumentative nature who took over them all, who was the true killer if they had once again tried to kill Justice and also successfully killed Lola, the British girl's best friend.

_"We can't be ruling out possibilities that she's working with someone else!" Emma yelled at Audrey, an anger like no other filled her chest. "And you stand there and defend your father like his the most innocent man to walk this earth?" Audrey shot back pointing accusingly at her friend._

_"Why are you so quick to blame JJ? Because daddy dearest pointed his own hand quickly at her. So you turn a blind eye to everything he has done?" Audrey went to move around the bed her eye's trained on Emma._

Brooke had quickly intervened in that moment pushing herself between her friends. "You drown and see how great you look after," Justice rasped out the hand free of wires pulling the oxygen mask away from her face, even though she was still wheezing as she breathed.

“Woa, woa, woah take it easy.” Audrey’s blue eyes wide she wrapped her hand over Justice’s hand and placed the oxygen mask back in place. Justice leaned into her touch as Audrey gently traced circles on JJ's cheek.

\----

Having to tell Justice that Lola was dead, that was the hardest job Audrey had been tasked with. Seeing the eyes as bright green as summer grass, shatter the light almost leaving it. The tears gathered in her eyes "What?" Justice breathed out even though she had heard her girlfriend clearly. _"What?"_ her voice broke under the stress of emotions.

Justice drew in ragged breaths, and her face crumpled, the tears now flowing down her pale, bruised cheeks. Her lips trembled and she wouldn't meet anyone's eyes "I- No! She can't be dead s-she's Lola." She knew that thinking was flawed "No, no, no." she spun on the spot her fingers in her messy brown hair "Justice.." Audrey tried to say softly.

"No, she is my best friend she, she can't be dead." her breathing grew more laboured. "Oh, god." her hands shook and she covered her mouth. "Oh god." the tears fell more heavily, in a steady stream rolling down her face. "Please say this is some sick joke," Justice stuttered out, and Audrey felt her heart breaking.


	12. Cracks in the glass

Justice blinked slowly the right side of her face buried into the soft, sterile hospital pillow. “I hate hospitals,” she murmured softly gaining the attention of Audrey. It been the first time in hours Justice had spoken and her voice was horse. 

She continued answering the questions that hung unasked in the air, “reminds me of...” her voice trailed off and Audrey could piece together what the injured girl had meant.

_Reminds her of the time she lost her family._

”I used to see them all the time, just at the end of my bed. When I tried to look  _really look,_ nobody would be there.” 

Justice felt the tears spill past her eyelashes. She closed her eyes feeling the heavy constriction in her throat, the emotion choking her. Her voice was barely above a whisper now and Audrey had to lean in close to hear the confessions of a disabled woman. 

“I hate the hospital, just being here reminds me of, wanting to die so bad.” She finally finished. Shock shot up Audrey’s spine. “You were suicidal?” She whispered.

 _”I just want to leave this place,” she stared dejectedly at the white ceiling above her head. “It’s just for one more night Jay,” Lola said frowning at her miserable friend._ _“I don’t mean here, I mean this world..” Justice sighed not meeting the brown eyes of her best friend._

"No, no. I mean not really I didn't actively try to commit suicide. I was depressed and anorexic." Justice admitted in a quiet voice, almost ashamed of her mental health issues. 

Her voice caught in her throat unable to form the words, a low whine left the back of her throat, Audrey placed a soothing hand on Justice’s arm. “it’s okay, you don’t have to tell me everything now. You don’t have to tell me anything your not ready to talk about.” 

 ----

She sat the the dark room all alone, the heels of her palms pressed to her temples. She couldn't stop it the old thoughts resurfacing after the recent events.  _Not good enough, everyone you love is dead or will die being near you, Emma is right it's your fault all your fault. Not good enough never been good enough. They hate you already. You should be blamed for it all. Everyone is dead and it's all your fault._ Justice felt her throat tighten in reaction to the tidal wave of emotions, wrapping around her. Suffocating her, weighing her down. _Your fault. Your fault. No good to anyone. Your fault._ "Stop it, stop crying. Stop,  _Stop.._ " A broken sob left her mouth.  _Dead. dead. All dead. Your fault._

"No, please stop. Make it stop." A pitiful while left her mouth, she kept dragging her hands though her hair making it look like a crow's nest.  _Your weak, can't keep them safe._ The tears fell continuously down her rosy cheeks. _Destroy everything you touch. Nothing you will ever do will be good enough, not good enough. Never good enough._ She held her head in her hands rocking back and forth muttering incoherently, the beating of the heart monitor had picked up pace to her speeding heart. "Make it stop, please.  _please, make it stop._ " 

-

Audrey held on to her keeping them anchored together. _She held in her own tears as Justice sobbed against her chest her shoulders had shaken with every laboured breath she fingers were woven in her girlfriend’s chocolate brown hair._

When she felt JJ’s breathing even out, her body was heavy but Audrey couldn’t find it in herself to be bothered by the weight keeping her pinned to the bed. She gently caressed the sleeping girl’s face her own tears falling now, leaving her own face tear streaked like Justice’s.

Audrey’s thumb slowly swept over the freckles of Justice’s face, asleep she looked so young. She whispered softly to her girlfriend even though she was asleep she had to say these words. 

_“You are so brave and quiet, I forget you are suffering and that you've suffered the most.”_

She had known for a while that there were still pieces of Justice that she hadn’t been shown yet. There were parts of this girl hidden behind a wall for so long, ashamed of internal struggles she with held it all in. Audrey gently dragged the pad of her thumb over her girlfriends cheek. 

\----

Emma sat alone, her blonde hair spilled around her face acting as a shield to those around her. Her hands just in front of her holding the warm paper cup, a soft sigh left her lips. "You know hiding down here from everyone won't make it all go away." Brooke said softly as she slid into the chair opposite her friend. 

Emma's lips quirked into a ghost of a smile. "I could try," she said softly her green eyes cast away from Brooke. "I really hurt her didn't I?" she asked softly her stomach twisted in guilty knots. "Em, you hurt both of them. Justice is the daughter of Troy James, but that doesn't make her the killer." Brooke cooed softly reaching for the other girl's hand, giving it a small squeeze. 

The words hung in the air like a heavy fog, Emma drew her bottom lip through her teeth. The two blonde's sat there for a while in a comfortable silence. 


End file.
